


Where it began

by Gumdrop_lou



Series: The Choices that shape us [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Gen, I dont know what to tag, I love angst and little stories, Self-Indulgent, Vanya Hargreeves-centric, also oneshots are easier, drabbles have always been a favorite of mine so..., dug myself a grave with Fedora girl so here we are, if you're interested then be my guest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27521182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gumdrop_lou/pseuds/Gumdrop_lou
Summary: The Umbrella Academy has just debuted to the public. Number Seven's emotions churned as she realized that this was where their paths divulged. After many years of being raised together in an Academy rather than a home, their mold is set out for them and it's a choice between following it and allowing it to shape them or breaking away and following their own path.
Relationships: Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves
Series: The Choices that shape us [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011468
Kudos: 35





	Where it began

**Author's Note:**

> This is part one of the drabble series about The Umbrella Academy if some things were different and an exploration on a different timeline. A timeline that is entirely different among many things but I will borrow some aspects of the original show into this. This is a part of a larger series that is called "The Separation of you and me" which is divided into two sub-series. 
> 
> I'll update when I feel like it though, no fixed schedule or finishing a series before uploading another. Expect random and sporadic updates hehehe:>
> 
> This one shot belongs to "The choices that shape us" which will touch on Vanya and the other Hargreeves Kids childhood until early adulthood. It will then become a springboard for the next series "The choices that made us"
> 
> "The choices that made us" is the second sub-series and will explore the effects of their childhood (mainly Vanya) and re-connection through the arrival of the other Hargreeves Children from another timeline.

_August 2002_

Number Seven watches from atop a building as her siblings apply all they have learned from the Academy, effectively stopping a bank hostage/ robbery. All of them are smiling widely at the waiting press. Avoiding answering any questions thrown at them, as explicitly stated by their father on the drive towards the scene, they were to not utter a word until his arrival.

Her feelings towards being brought along to her siblings unveiling caused polarizing emotions from inside her. On one hand she was happy to be included, while on the other she found it cruel that her insecurity of being nothing like her siblings was slapped across her face like a dead fish.

There's a rolling in her gut as she understands that from this moment on, things will change, her ordinariness has solidified the difference between her and her siblings.

Her father's plan to reveal the Academy as only a six-member group had long been decided, and her father and Pogo talked about it during her siblings' final training session before they were to be unveiled yesterday.

It was as if she wasn't even there, playing the part of the perfect assistant, hoping to get any kind of attention from her father. With her hands gripping the clipboard tightly while her father drones on about the success the Academy will most likely have when faced with their first adversary.

She always knew she was different; a _bad kind of different._ The one that entailed the lack of super-strength, mind compulsion, trajectory control, seeing the dead, space and time manipulation or even having a part of her body as a portal for eldritch creatures to come through from.

She was _ordinary._ In fact she was _extra-ordinary_ as her siblings and father always drilled into her head. There was one sibling though who treated her better than anyone in the house ever did. Pogo was nice but he never defended her in front of her father, while Grace? She was an android, created by their father to compensate for the warmth he could never exude. 

"Why can't I play with the others?" her timid voice asked, she already knew the answer but she wished this time it would change.

"We've been through this before Number Seven," Father's clipped tone answered, lowering the telescope. "There's just nothing special about you."

She expected this answer of course, it didn't mean it hurt any less. For once she wished her father would take a young girl's feelings into consideration when planning his replies, sadly this was Reginald Hargreeves. He never took emotions into account nor did he care.

Number Five was like him in that sense, always honest, always clinical, sometimes cruel...but never to her. In her heart, she knew that he only tolerated her because of the fact that she was a meek little mouse. Never talked back, always nodded, _always weak._

"Oh." no matter how hard she tried, her voice trembled. It always did when around him. 

"You will return to the car and we shall meet you at the Academy."

He orders her down, reminding her to keep her head low as she exits the building. Making sure no one saw even a glimpse of her face. Her father exited on a different door, one that had cameras waiting, shoving microphones at his face.

_What she would do just to have a scrap of that attention._

As she closes the door, her head turns to the driver, hoping to at least talk to him but as soon as she opens her mouth. The divider is raised and she's on her own once again.

There, alone with her thoughts, Number Seven breaks down. Hands muffled her sobs in case the driver heard her and would tell on Father.

Weakness was frowned upon and Reginald Hargreeves made sure his children knew about this. Even her, with her useless self followed by this rule, he would not reward such behavior.

_‘As if he ever gave you a reward anyway’_ a voice in her head argues.

_September 2002_

"Dad's sending you to school?" Five scowls, scribbling in his notes from on top of her bed. Claiming her bed as his space for the day. She had taken to sitting on a small stool by her desk.

She let him, of course. She would do anything for her only friend.

"It's a special school." she tried to defend, hoping to convince herself that her father saw potential in her playing rather than just wanting her out of the house. "For ordinary people like me, with a knack for the arts"

Repeating the words exactly as her father conveyed that morning.

"You're not ordinary Vanya." her heart swells when he uses her new name. 

It's amazing that just a few days ago, she was Number Seven. Now she is Vanya Hargreeves.

"Besides, why does the old man have to go out of his way just to alienate you even more." he reasons, eyeing her from above the notebook.

"It's not like that Five" folding her hands in her lap, sitting beside him. "He sees that I could do more with the violin, with the right teachers. I can be as extraordinary as you."

But her father's phrasing was more on thinly veiled insults as he did the bare minimum in trying to convince her that she belonged there, _with all the people like her._

Of course, she agreed, readily in fact. Anything to be close to the caliber of her siblings. And if music was her way, she'd let her fingers bleed a million times just to make sure she was _perfect._

"There's nothing wrong with being ordinary Vanya." he says evenly. 

_You wouldn't understand_ she wanted to scream but instead she sucks it up and looks down, playing with the pleats of her skirt.

"Father believes in me Five." saying this with as much conviction as she can muster, her heart just can't accept another blatant rejection.

"I'm not happy with this Vanya." he retorts with less anger. "I'll miss you."

She doesn't reply, her throat constricts with the thought that someone will actually notice her absence.

Without much of a thought, she leans over to his side and kisses his cheek. Realizing what she did, she immediately shoots up and grabs her violin.

"I gotta practice now, will you be fine listening to it? I'm trying to improve my playing before school starts"

With her eyes downcast, she prepares her stand. Five clears his throat.

"Yes, you're getting better at it, Se - Vanya" he corrects himself.

She knows he's lying but she smiles at his regard for her feelings. She knows she won't get Five's attention for long but she'll revel in it while she still can

With that thought in mind, she begins playing.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This is the only specific story that is encouraged (but y'know you do you) to be read first. After that, it's free for all in the other stories in any order you want :> after I write them and upload them that is.
> 
> I just enjoyed writing this and the ideas are just coming inside my head in droves so here we are! Hope you guys like it.


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